publishedJuly 10, 2022 at 10:39 am
Attention hikers and day-trippers: In Lenk im Simmental there is currently a risk of flooding and spring tides. This in the area of the two rivers Trübbach and Simme.
In Lenk im Simmental there is currently a risk of flooding and spring tides on the Trübbach and Simme rivers. The municipality warned the population and guests on Sunday via the website: “Caution is required on the mountain and hiking trails along these waters. In and around the body of water there is the greatest danger.”
The reason for this is that the lake on the Plaine Morte Glacier has started to empty, as the online portal Watson writes. The lake formed due to ice melt on the south-eastern edge of the glacier. In early summer, meltwater collects in a long hollow between the rock and the ice. As soon as the lake reaches a critical threshold, spontaneous emptying occurs.
artificial drain
As early as 2018, such an outflow of the lake caused major damage in the valley. Among other things, a campsite and a restaurant had to be evacuated. In 2019, an artificial outflow channel was dug into the glacial ice, allowing the lake to drain slowly and in a controlled manner into this overflow.
In the winter of 2019/2020, this drainage channel filled up with snow, impeding drainage in the summer of 2020. Construction work on the so-called “bypass” then began. According to the website of the municipality of Lenk, this canal was completed last week. Although water had flown through this canal, there was still a risk of a sudden outflow of water.